January 2025 North American cold wave
 Average mean temperature anomalies across the United States during the peak of the cold wave from January 19–25, 2025 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | January 2, 2025 |
| Dissipated | January 27, 2025 |
| Cold wave | |
| Lowest temperature | −36 °C (−32.8 °F) in Saskatchewan, Canada on January 20 |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 18[note 1] |
| Damage | > $500 million |
| Areas affected | Canada, Central United States, Eastern United States, Northern Mexico |
Part of the 2024–25 North American winter | |
The January 2025 North American cold wave was an extreme weather event that brought extremely cold temperatures to a majority of the Lower 48 of the continental United States, as well as the countries of Canada and Mexico as well throughout most of January 2025. It was the coldest January in much of the continent, especially the U.S., in at least a decade, bringing temperatures as much as 20–35 °F (−6.7–1.7 °C) below average to a majority of the country Originating from the southward migration of the polar vortex after an arctic front passed through the continent in early January, the pattern persisted for much of the month, bringing a wide swath of wintery weather across the Lower 48 of the U.S., allowing snow and ice to accumulate in regions that do not see it much at all in the Deep South.
Though similar in extent to a previous cold wave in 2021, it was not as record-breaking within the central United States, but freezing temperatures reached as far south as the Gulf Coast, breaking many temperature records there, especially in the state of Louisiana. The cold weather is estimated to have caused at least US$500 million in damages, and at least 18 deaths directly or indirectly attributed to the cold or winter weather.
Background
[edit]Beginning on January 2, an arctic front began moving south from Canada, before meeting up with a significant blizzard that tracked through the eastern half of the United States from January 4–6. Following its passage, temperatures were expected to plummet across much of the country. Meteorologists also warned of a weakening polar jet stream in the aftermath, which could result in the polar vortex being disrupted enough for very cold air to spill as far south as the Mississippi Valley.[1]
Temperatures
[edit]Canada
[edit]On January 3, Saskatoon and Regina, Saskatchewan both recorded temperatures as low as −30 °C (−22 °F).[2] Temperatures across the region reached similar levels two weeks later on January 20, when temperatures dropped as low as −36 °C (−33 °F), with wind chills of close to −50 °C (−58 °F).[3]
United States
[edit]
In the wake of the first storm in early January, parts of Kansas experienced wind chills ranging from −5 °F (−20.6 °C) to −25 °F (−31.7 °C) on January 6.[4] Raleigh, North Carolina, as of January 15, had its 18th-coldest January on record as of that date with an average temperature of 36.6 °F (2.6 °C).[5] Milwaukee, Minnesota reached a temperature of 0 °F (−17.8 °C) early on January 19, with wind chills below −10 °F (−23.3 °C).[6] The town of Rolla, North Dakota reached a wind chill of −54 °F (−47.8 °C) early on the morning of January 20.[6] The city of Wichita, Kansas had its coldest January temperature since 1988 on January 21, reaching −9 °F (−22.8 °C).[7] On January 22, Kansas City set a new daily record low of −8 °F (−22.2 °C), and Pueblo, Colorado set a new daily low of −19 °F (−28.3 °C).[8] Vineland, New Jersey saw a low of −1 °F (−18.3 °C) early on January 23, marking the coldest temperature there since 2015.[9] Other regions within the state also reached their coldest temperature in many years, with most being the coldest since January 2018.[9]
Beaumont, Texas set an all time monthly record low of 11 °F (−11.7 °C) for January.[10] New record low temperatures were set in Jennings, Louisiana, New Roads, Lafayette, New Iberia at 7 °F (−13.9 °C), 4 °F (−15.6 °C), 4 °F (−15.6 °C) and 2 °F (−16.7 °C) respectively. Baton Rouge and Lake Charles also set a monthly all time record low of 7 °F (−13.9 °C) and 6 °F (−14.4 °C) for January respectively.[10][11][12]
Impact
[edit]United States
[edit]Due to the freezing temperatures, U.S. president-elect Donald Trump announced on January 17 that his second inauguration ceremony would be moved indoors as a result, and would take place in the Capitol rotunda. This was the first time this occurred since the public second inauguration of Ronald Reagan on January 21, 1985.[13][14]
An 80-year old man was confirmed to have died on January 19 in Milwaukee, Minnesota after falling outside and likely succumbing to hypothermia.[6]
Canada
[edit]Extreme cold warnings were issued in much of the regions of Saskatchewan on and during the week of January 20, due to the bitterly cold temperatures.[3] Additionally, school closures were prominent in Manitoba due to wintry weather and extreme cold as well on January 20.[15]
See also
[edit]
- 1994 North American cold wave
- January–March 2014 North American cold wave
- February 2021 North American cold wave
- February 2015 North American cold wave
References
[edit]- ^ Castro, Amanda (2025-01-03). "Hazardous conditions expected as winter storm to hit Nebraska, Iowa". Newsweek. Retrieved 2025-01-04.
- ^ "Extreme cold shocks the Saskatchewan system | Globalnews.ca". Global News.
- ^ a b "Extremely cold weekend wreaks havoc on Saskatchewan vehicles, furnaces | Globalnews.ca". Global News.
- ^ "First major US winter storm of year hammers Mid-Atlantic states". Reuters. January 6, 2025.
- ^ "January 2025 is very cold so far, the coldest on record at RDU might make your teeth chatter". ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. January 15, 2025.
- ^ a b c Mascarenhas, Karina Tsui, Robert Shackelford, Mary Gilbert, Lauren (January 20, 2025). "Southern states declare emergencies ahead of potentially historic snow, as cold temps chill 220 million people". CNN.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "January 2025 Extreme Cold". www.weather.gov.
- ^ "Arctic Blast Across US Brings Frigid Wind Chills | Weather.com". The Weather Channel.
- ^ a b "x.com".
- ^ a b "New all time record lows have been set across the region this morning. New Iberia and Lafayette both saw their all time lowest temperatures this morning while Beaumont and Lake Charles saw their second lowest all time temperatures". X (formerly Twitter). National Weather Service, Lake Charles. January 22, 2025. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
- ^ "Baton Rouge Airport Ryan Field recorded its coldest temp on record & tied the 2nd coldest temp on record for the Baton Rouge area of 7 degrees this morning. Ryan Field's records go back to 1930 & the Baton Rouge area Period of Record goes back to 1892. #LAwx #MSwx". X (formerly Twitter). National Weather Service, New Orleans. January 22, 2025. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
- ^ "Extreme Temperatures Around the World". www.mherrera.org. Retrieved 2025-01-23.
- ^ "Trump's inauguration to be moved indoors". CNN. 2025-01-17.
- ^ "Trump moves inauguration ceremony indoors due to freezing temperatures". CBS News. 2025-01-17.
- ^ "School and road closures in Manitoba on Monday - Winnipeg | Globalnews.ca". CJOB.
- ^ The death toll and damage is a combination of the January 5–6, 2025 United States blizzard, the January 20–22, 2025 Gulf Coast blizzard, and one fatality attributed to the cold directly